George of Duklja

Đorđe Bodinović Vojislavljević, also known as Đorđije or George (fl. 1113-1131) was a King of Duklja in 1113–1118 and again from 1125 to 1131.

With his mother, Jaquinta, he opposed the rule of his cousin, Vladimir, and Raškan influence on Duklja. Jaquinta and George had Vladimir fatally poisoned in 1118 and George was crowned king that same year. As king, he planned to liquidate his relatives who were acting as pretenders of his throne.

He unsuccessfully captured the children of knez Branislav, who had escaped to Dyrrhachium, where their uncle, Gojislav, was located. With the help of the Branislavljevići, Byzantium attacked Duklja. Upon hearing this, George was forced to withdraw to his castle, Obliquus, on the Taraboš. In the meantime, however, the Byzantines has conquered Scutari and soon the rest of Duklja. Jaquinta was captured in Kotor and as a captive was sent to Constantinople where she died.

Defeated, George had escaped to Raška, marking the end of his first rule. Byzantium had enthroned Grubeša, Branislav's son, as king of Duklja.

Several years later, in 1125, George, with the help of Rascian forces, attacked Duklja. In the ensuing battle in Bar, Grubeša was killed and George retook his kingdom. George decided to split control of Duklja with Grubeša's two brothers, Draghina and Dragila, with whom he established friendly relations with.

On Dragila's advice, George invaded Rascia and conquered it. George decided to take full control of Duklja and destroy any relative who dared oppose him. He captured Michael, Vladimir's son, and Dragila and had them both imprisoned. Draghina, on the other hand, had escaped with his nephews to Durrës, which was under Byzantine protection. They were joined by Draghina's brother, Gradhina, who was at Zachlumia at the time.

The Byzantines, with George's relatives, declared war once more on Duklja. Byzantine forces captured all Dukljan territory from Bar to Podgorica. However, the Byzantines had to halt all advances because the army's head commander had to return to Constantinople.

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